Reinforced fence-post.



J. H. DOWNS.

REINFORGED FENCE POST.

APPLIGATION FILED 001.19, 1911.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

@mW/Lewes com/mm PLANOGRAPH co.,w^sH|NGToN. DA cA UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HENRY DowNs,` 0E JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

REINFORCEID FENCE-POST.

To @ZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY DOWNS, a citizen of the United States, and resident specification.

This invention relates to an improved` support of the type designed to be placed` in position byhaving one end buried in theL earth, and it comprises means of peculiar;

construction for thickening and strengthening the material of which the support is' made over the portion thereof which is located at or near the level of the ground when the support is set up for use.

It is well known that the action of the corrosive and disintegrating forces to which the lower ends of metallic supports, for instance, are subjected is most marked at the.

ground line; and this is true whether the end of the support is embedded in soil or in concrete. The reason for this lies in the fact that the surface of the ground arrests.

the downward course of moisture, such as drainage and rain precipitation, and thus more or less concentrates the above noted effect upon a certain part of the support. This improved construction provides for the betterment lof these conditions by reinforcement and special formation of the support at the point where it is most subject to attack.

Referring t-o4 the annexed drawings Figure l is a fragmentary front view of a fence-post having the ground portion reinforced. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of Fig. 1 on the line 2-2, and Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. l. l These viewsillu'strate a post which is angle or L shaped in cross section and thickened or reinforced at the level of. the ground, indicated by the dot and dash line X in the upper figures.

Fig. 1 shows the post reinforced on the inside surfaces of each of its legs (or flange and web) 4 and 5, by plates 6 and 7 respectively, which plates may be secured to the post by rivets, or other suitable means. Each rivet 8 passes through one of the legs of the post and through the plate. The weakening of the post due to the rivet holes Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led October 19, 1911.'

Patented Mar. 1s, 191s.

Serial N0. 655,458.

ismore than offset by the strengthening effect of the plates, evenV if the upper and lower row of rivets were all in the same horizontal plane.

In the fo-rm of the invention shown, the two plates 6 and 7 are disposed adjacent to each other and closely follow the inner faces of the angle formed by both legs of the post above and belowl the level of the ground line when the po-st is set up. The said plates are preferably of unequal widths and lengths, so as to admit of one plate passing the other at their inner edges and to locate the fastening rivets for the plates at different levels in order not to weaken the post. The longer plate 7, being also the wider, is secured to the web 5 which is disposed at right angles tothe run of the fence wires indicated at 9. Both plates t3 and 7 have beveled portions 10 and 11 formed integrally with their upper and lower ends, and as one plate stops short of the other an inside corner miter between the plates is avoided notwithstanding their bevels, which obviates any special fitting between the plates at that point.

As represented in Fig. l, the longer plate is positioned with its inner edge abutting against the face of the post adjacent thereto, and the shorter plate is made to abut on the outer face of the first mentioned plate. Due to this arrangement, the beveled portions of the shorter plate terminate at the ends of the straight portions of the longer plate, and pocket formations as well as mitering are thereby precluded.

The a'bove described fence post can be thoroughly covered with paint or galvanized to fill the cracks and spaces between the body of the support and the reinforcement piecesJ and at the meeting edges-of the latter, as well as under and over the heads of the rivets or bolts. This will prevent the entrance of moisture and avoid rust-ing and corrosion. At the same time the upper beveled ends of the reinforcement plates will afford no lodgment to dampness or dirt, but will shed everything deposited on these surfaces. The reinforced post offers hardly any more resistance when driven into the ground, than without the plates, on account of their beveled lower ends. It is equally as easy to slip over a vitrified clay collar or fill in with concrete around'v the strengthened pest. In all instances the life of the post is prolonged, because these reinforcing plates apply the metal where it is most needed, namely, at the -usual point of deterioration which is always where the metal passes from a lighter medium into a denser, or vice versa. Due to the fact that the reinforcements follow for their entire lengths along and directly up against the sides of the post without any intermediate spaces, offsets or projecting portions, a much better result is obtained than has hereto-fore been aecompushed, both inA that the post and the reinlforcements mutually help to support each other as well as that they offer the least amount of exposed surface.

From the above description, it is evident that my improved post is amply fortified against the action of the corrosive agencies which tend to eat through the body thereof at the level of the ground in which it is set up and the reinforcing pieces are so attached to the post that the ent-rance of dirt and moisture between the same is made practically impossible.

Vhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that changes vin the form, arrangement, size, proportions and details thereof, may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claim. i

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1s:-

A fence post of the character described comprising an angle'iron post consisting of two joined legs and adapted to be driven into the ground, a pair of separate reinforcing plates disposed adjacent each other and closely following the inner faces of the angle formed by both legs of the post above and below the level of the ground line when the post is set up, said plates being of different lengths and having beveled portions formed integrally with their upper and lower ends, the longer plate being positioned with its inner edge abutting against the face of the adjacent leg of the post, and the shorter plate being positioned to abut on the outer face of the first mentioned plate, the beveled portion of the shorter plate terminating at the ends of the straight po-rtion of the longer plate, whereby mitering and pocket formation of their inner edges is avoided, and means for holding the plates tixedly in place when the post is driven into its as signed position.

Signed at the borough of B/Ianhattan, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 18th day of October A. l). 1911.

JOI-IN HENRY DOWNS.

Witnesses I-I. C. KARLsoN, WV. H. GEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

